Flag pole



vMlrch 10, 1954 F. w. MoRLEY FLAG POLE Filed Jan. 25, 1962 HHHHIIUIILA-INVENTOR, fera Vif/7047455 BY r Arroz/vifs United States Patent O3,124,100 FLAG POLE Fred W. Morley, 917 E. 49th, Indianapolis, Ind.Fiied Jau. 25, 1962, Ser. No. 168,609 12 Claims. (Cl. 116-173) Thisinvention relates to flag poles or like structures having at a remoteand relatively inaccessible end a device or mechanism to which accessmay be necessary for purposes of replacement or repair. It is an objectof the invention to facilitate such access. The invention will bedescribed as embodied in a vertical, hollow flag pole having at itsupper end a pulley to which access may be desired, as for the purpose ofre-stringing a broken halyard, but it is to be understood that theinvention is not limited to such a structure.

As embodied in a hollow, vertical llag pole, the invention contemplatesa cap removably mounted in a definite position at the upper end of thepole. Conveniently, the cap is provided with a downwardly openingannular groove adapted to receive the upper end of the pole. Extendingthrough the pole is a Bowden Wire comprising the conventional inner andouter elements, the former of which is secured at its upper end to thecap. At the lower end of the Bowden wire, the inner element projectsbeyond the outer element for a distance approximately equal to theheight of the pole, the projecting length of the inner elementpreferably being stored within the pole in any convenient manner.Desirably, the upper end of the outer Bowden-wire element is equippedwith a compression spring having, when unstressed, a length sufficientto extend upwardly well beyond the upper end of the pole. When the capis in position at the top of the pole, such spring is resilientlycompressed and exerts and upward effort on the cap, which is held inposition against such eifort by the inner Bowden-wire element. Whenaccess to the cap is desired, the inner Bowden-wire element is releasedand its excess length forced upwardly through the outer element tounseat the cap and permit it to descend into an accessible positionunder the inuence of gravity.

Further objects and features in the invention will become apparent fromthe more detailed description which follows and from the accompanyingdrawing, in which:

FIG. l is an axial section through a vertical flag pole embodying theinvention showing the cap in place at the upper end of the pole;

FIG. 2 is a fragmental elevational View on a reduced scale of the upperend of the pole showing the cap in the process of being lowered;

FIG. 3 is a detailed view, in partial section, illustrating means forreleasably locking the inner Bowden-wire element against upwardmovement; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmental vertical section through the lower end of a poleillustrating an alternative means for storing the excess length of theinner Bowden wire.

The flag pole shown in the drawing comprises a tubux lar, preferablytapered, body provided at its lower iend with a base 11 through which itis' supported in upright position. A removable cap, designated in itsentirety by the reference numeral 12, is removably supported at theupper end of the pole. As shown, the cap carries a pair ofhalyard-pulleys 13 and is provided at its lower end with a guide 14 ofinverted conical form and having at its top a ange 15 formed with adownwardly opening annular groove adapted to receive the upper end ofthe pole 10.

Connected to the cap 12 is the inner element 17 of a Bowden-wireassembly which extends vertically through the pole. For most of theheight of the pole, the inner element 17 is enclosed in a tubular sheath18 supported 3,124,100 Patented Mar. 10, 1964 from the pole bycross-members including a lower crossmember 19, an upper cross-member20, and a third crossmember 21 spaced a short distance below thecrossmember 2t). Above the cross-member 21, the tubular sheath 18 isreplaced by a helical compression spring 22 which, when the cap 12 is inposition, is in at least a partially compressed state and bears againstthe guide 14. Between the two cross-members 20 and 21, the spring 22 isenclosed within a tube 23, which is replaced above the uppercross-member 20 by a second helical compression spring 24. Like thespringl 22, the spring 24 is compressed when the cap 12 is in position,being held in compressed state by the engagement of its ends with thecross-member 20 and the guide 14. The lengths of the springs 22 and 24,is such that both springs, when released, project through and beyond thetop of the pole with the inner spring 22 preferably projecting beyondthe outer spring 24.

While friction between the inner element 17 and its enclosing sheath(18, 22) might be relied upon to hold the cap 12 in position againstdislodging forces such as the upward effort exerted by the springs 22and 24, I prefer that the inner element 17 fit rather loosely within thesheath 1S and that means be provided at the lower end or" such sheath tolock the inner element in place. One form of such a locking means isillustrated in FIG. 3, where the lower end of the sheath 18 is shown asprovided with a clamp comprising a collar 25 having a downwardlyprojecting, frusto-conical boss 26 longitudinally slit as indicated at27 to provide two or more resilient fingers adapted to be clampedagainst the inner element 17 to lock it in place. For the purpose offorcing the ngers against the inner element, a cap 2S isscrew-threadably mounted on the collar 25, such cap having a hollowfrusto-conical lower portion 29 engaging the outer surface of thesplit-boss 26.

The inner element 17 of the Bowden wire, which is preferably a strandedcable, projects beyond the lower end of the tubular sheath 13 for adistance approximately equal to the height of the pole 10. The excesslength of such inner element may be stored in a vertical tube 31extending upwardly within the pole, as shown in FIG. l, or may be woundon a rotatable reel 32, as shown in FIG. 4. To provide access to theinterior of the pole for the purpose of manipulating the inner element17, the pole has near its lower end an opening 33 provided with amovable closure 34.

When the cap 12 is in place, as shown in FIG. l, the springs 22 and 24are compressed, thus exerting an upward effort on the cap tending todislodge it from its seat on the upper end of the pole. To hold the capin place against such dislodging effort, the cap 28 is screwed upwardlyon the collar 25 to force the split end of the boss 26 into grippingengagement with the inner Bowden-wire element 17. When access to the capis desired, the closure 34 is removed and the clamp 28 released. If theupward effort exerted on the cap by the springs 22 and 24 is insuicientto dislodge the cap from its seat, the inner Bowden-wire element 17 isforced upwardly into the sheath 18 to unseat the cap. As the cap isunseated, the springs 22 and 24 extend, and the cap 12 tends to falldownwardly under the iniiuence of gravity, the extended springs 22 and24 curving, as shown in FIG. 2, to lend support to the inner element 17,and prevent it from bending so sharply that it would take a permanentset. As feeding of the inner element 17 into the lower end of the tube18 continues, the cap 12 descends under the influence of gravity into anaccessible position such that any desired operation may be readilyperformed upon it. When it is desired to replace the cap, the lower endof the inner element 17 is progressively pulled from the tube J 18, thuscausing the cap to ascend. When the ascending cap engages the innerspring Z2, continued withdrawal from the tube 18 causes such spring tobe compressed; and when further movement of the cap brings it intoengagement with the upper end of the spring 24, such spring is likewisecompressed. As the springs 22 and 24 are shortened by continued inwardmovement of the inner element 17, they straighten to cause the cap toswing from the inverted position shown in FIG. 2 toward the uprightposition shown in FIG. l and to bring the cap into a disposition overthe pole. During the nal stage in the operation of repositioning thecap, the guide 14 enters the upper end of the pole and centers the capso that the upper end of the pole will seat in the annular groove in theflange 15. With the cap thus positioned, the clamp 2S is tightened andthe closure 34 replaced.

I claim as my invention:

l. A ag pole, comprising an elongated hollow body supported at one endand having its other end located in an elevated, remote position, saidbody being provided with an opening at its remote end, a removable capseated over said opening, a halyard-pulley mounted on said cap, and aBowden-wire assembly extending within said body and including an innerelement secured to said cap and an outer element which slidably receivesthe inner element and extends from the cap to an end near the supportedend of the body, the inner element extending beyond said end of theouter element for a distance substantially equal to that through whichsaid cap must be lowered from its elevated position to render it readilyaccessible.

2. A flag pole as set forth in claim l with the addition of means withinthe body for storing the extended portion of the inner element.

3. A ag pole as set forth in claim 2 with the addition that said storingmeans comprises an elongated tube extending longitudinally of the body.

4. A ag pole as set forth in claim 2 with the addition that said storingmeans is a reel rotatably mounted adjacent the supported end of thebody.

5. A flag pole, comprising an elongated hollow body supported at one endand having its other end located in an elevated, remote position, saidbody being provided with an opening at its remote end, a removable capseated over said opening, a halyard-pulley mounted on said cap, and aBowden-wire assembly extending within said body and including an innerelement secured to said cap and an outer element which slidably receivesthe inner element and extends from the cap to a position near thesupported l end of the body where the inner element is manipulable tounseat and lower the cap.

6. A ag pole as set forth in claim 5 with the addition that said cap andbody are provided with cooperating provisions interengageable as the capis seated to locate the cap in predetermined position on the body.

7. A ag pole as set forth in claim 5 with the addition that said body isof circular cross-section, said cap having an annular groove receivingthe end of the body when the cap is seated thereon, said cap also havingwithin said groove a tapered pilot portion cooperating with thebodyopening as the cap is moved toward its seated position.

8. A flag pole as set forth in claim 5 with the addition that said bodyis of circular cross-section, said cap having an annular groovereceiving the end of the body when the cap is seated thereon.

9. A ilag pole or like structure comprising an elongated body supportedat one end and having its other end disposed in a remote, elevatedposition, a removable cap at the remote end of the body, said cap andbody having cooperating provisions operable when engaged to locate thecap in predetermined seated position on the body, and a Bowden-wireassembly including an inner element secured to said cap and an outerelement slidably receiving the inner element, said outer elementextending from said cap along the body to an end located at a readilyaccessible position, said inner element extending beyond said end of theouter element and having a total length such that by forcing it into theouter element the cap may be dislodged from seated position and loweredto a position in which it is readily accessible.

10. The invention of claim 9 with the addition that the terminal portionof said outer element adjacent said opening comprises a helicalcompression spring compressed by movement of said cap into seatedposition and elastically extensible through said opening when the cap isdislodged and lowered.

l1. The invention of claim 10 with the addition of releasable means atthe supported end of the body acting on said inner element to preventits movement into the outer element.

12. The invention of claim l0 with the addition of a second helicalcompression spring surrounding said rst mentioned spring and similarlycompressed by movement of the cap into seated position, said secondspring, when the cap is dislodged, being extensible through said openingbut to a lesser distance than the rst mentioned spring.

No references cited.

1. A FLAG POLE, COMPRISING AN ELONGATED HOLLOW BODY SUPPORTED AT ONE ENDAND HAVING ITS OTHER END LOCATED IN AN ELEVATED, REMOTE POSITION, SAIDBODY BEING PROVIDED WITH AN OPENING AT ITS REMOTE END, A REMOVABLE CAPSEATED OVER SAID OPENING, A HALYARD-PULLEY MOUNTED ON SAID CAP, AND ABOWDEN-WIRE ASSEMBLY EXTENDING WITHIN SAID BODY AND INCLUDING AN INNERELEMENT SECURED TO SAID CAP AND AN OUTER ELEMENT WHICH SLIDABLY RECEIVESTHE INNER ELEMENT AND EXTENDS FROM THE CAP TO AN END NEAR THE SUPPORTEDEND OF THE BODY, THE INNER ELEMENT EXTENDING BEYOND SAID END OF THEOUTER ELEMENT FOR A DISTANCE SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THAT THROUGH WHICHSAID CAP MUST